Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-16
THE FARM.
A PROSPEROUS CONDITION IN ALL
PARTS OF THE STATE,
Information and Opinions upon Agri-
cultural and Horticultural Topics
Results of Experiments.

throughout the entire State during the past
week insures, so far as human foresight can
determine, most plentiful harvest. The
showers which have brought this great
promise of prosperity upon the State, could
not have been more epportunely placed in
the season. If there should be no extended
north wind within the next two or three
weeks the growth of grain will SO cover
the ground as in most casees to prevent the
ground drying badly, before the crops ma
ture. All in all, the outlook for California
was never brighter than at the present
time.
THE SHEEP INDUSTRY.
A well-known authority on the sheen in
dustry of this country says that it is in
transition state. This, as a matter of
course, always will be more or less so, for
the reason that fashion dictates the quality
of wool of which dress material is made
Notwithstanding this, the prominent
breeds, as, for instance, the American
merino-the most superior breed of fine
wooled sheep in the world-will ALWAYS re-
main distinct. So will the Southdown
among mutton sheep. The composite
breeds will vary as the years 90 on, some
while the inferior will die out and cease
to be known. The United States now pro-
duces about all the fine wool that is used
IN the country. The 10000, 900 pounds i'm
ported last year was principally carpet
woods. People will come more and more
to the keeping of sheep in small fiocks on
every farm, at least to the extent of such
forage and crops as cannot otherwise be so
Prohtaoly disposed OF. In fact, sheep must
become part of the regularly kept ami
mails OF every farm, paying some profit in
mutton and wool, but the principal and
increasing value lying in the enrichment
OF the soil.-Heratd Of Trade.
TO DESTROY MOTHS.
Lester Cross of Stockton says ITO de-
stroy the moth by banding the trees, l
have an objection, for the reason that it
takes up too much valuable time, and time
is money. 1t takes much time and labor
to visit 100 trees once week or ten DAYS to
examine the bands ard search for and kill
any pests that may have congregated I'M
der the bands. My remedy is to wash the
tree with concentrated I've reduced to the
strength of strong wood-ashes I've Tie
some wooden rags on a broom handle or
some other suitable stick quite tight, and
rub the body of the tree and limbs as far
up as practicable. This washing and the
dOnn " luc IOOlS Ol the Tree
will kill all insect pests that find shelter.
This treatment supersedes the necessity of
banding the trees. don't wish to be big
oted in regard to my own treatment. | am
sangulne that my remedy is preferable to
any that has yet been tried. and nv
opinion is founded upon the good results
OF many years experience and observa-
ton, and | shall be eighty-four if l live to
the 10th day OF March next. If orchardists
prefer poison on their trees would recon-
mend them to use Paris green ; it is far
more powerful poison than arsenic, and
will not remain much longer on the trees,
and not hurt the foliage"
WHY AND HOW CREAM RISES.
The important conclusion reached by
Mr.. Curtis in his article on this subject in
the Dairy Department, is well worth read
ing and studying. 1t is of interest to the
large and small dairyman alike. We, how
ever, can hardly agree with him as to the
manner in which cooling aids the cream in
rising. The cream is not diffused or mixed
through the milk as one liquid mixes with
another similar one, but more as a finely
divided solid would mix through LIQUID.
Under strong microscope the fatty parti-
cles are shown to he spherical in shape.
They appear just like the small drops of
emulsihed fat in a mixture of oil and water
shaken together.
The specific gravity of whole milk is
1000, of skim milk, 1904, and of butter
fat, 942, when water is taken at l 1000
ounces per cubic foot. The difference of
specific gravity between these little bodies
of fat and the milk they displace, is 81.
That is, the little bodies are only nine
tenths as heavy as the milk they displace,
which is sufficient difference to cause them
to rise to the top and float. As above stated,
tho yrot ic n rrnnA conductor oFl ~
contracts rapidly, while the fat globules are
poor conductors, and lose their heat very
slowly. The more rapid contraction of
the water still further widens the difference
of specific gravity and aids the rising of the
cream. 1t is quite probable that the differ
ence in the specific gravity is greater at
temperature near 800, than at warmer
temperature, even after the globules have
assumed the same temperature as the en-
yeloping liquid.
GRATING GRAPES.
What is the best time and mode for
grating grapes? This question is asked
the Canadian H0rticult,TiSt the editor of
which replies Propagators differ as to the
best time for cleft grating the grape vine
but probably it may be done with best sue
cess in spring, just before the buds begin to
swell. Any one familiar with the ordi-
nary method of top grating the apple tree
will have little trouble. The vine is cut
off three or four inches below the surface
of the ground, split with grating chisel,
and held open with a wedge until the scion
is fitted to its place. The scion need not
be over six inches long, and should have a
wedge-shaped end, smoothly cut, to fit the
cleft in such manner that when it is al
lowed to close the bark of the old and new
wood will be in close union. Use no grating
wax; but, if necessary, tie the cleft with a
string, and then heap the earth carefully
about the graft, leaving but one bud of the
scion above the surface, Or, if the stump
is old and notify, you may splice-graft a
smaller branch. Do this at distance of
two or three feet from the stump, and then
lay the grated branch down carefully,
fasten it in place with peg and cover the
graft with earth, pressing it down firmly.
Leave one bud above the ground, and when
you see signs of growth, rub off all the
others between the branch and the main
stump.
HARDY VARIETY OF ORANGES.
The fact that orange trees, when young
and tender, are sometimes affected by the
coolest weather-both in the southern and
central parts of the State-makes it always
desirable to secure as hardy varieties as
possible, and this will always be kept in
view by nurserymen and orchardists. A
new variety has recently been introduced
in this State from Japan, concerning which
the R,uaI Californian says:
W. Il. Barbour, of the Azusa, went up to
San Francisco early last month to look at
new japanese orange just being intro
duced into this country by the japanese
Tree Importing Company, of 40 Suffer
street. He was so favorably impressed
with the fruit that he purchased 500 trees
and will distribute them throughout
Southern California. This new candidate
for public favor is named the 0onshiu, and
is grated on wild lemon, the stock being
partly deciduous, very hardy, and calcu-
lated to stand considerable frost. The
orange is described as resembling our Tan
gerine, the skin parting freely from the
pulp, being very sweet and entirely seed
less. The tree is dwarf, growing u to Is
feet in hight, and doing well when planted
10 feet apart. being characterized as - a
prolific bearer" We judge that this will
be valuable addition to the citrus fruits
of this State, because it can be grown in
localities where the Navel would be killed
or stunted by cold weather.
NEW METHODS OF DESTROYING SCALE.
The experiment of treating scale insect
to gas as an exterminator is being tried in
southern California by Mr.. Coquillette the